Outside the cordon the police had put up as they investigated his wife’s murder on Wednesday, Brent Lyttle called on God for strength.
“Give me grace, Lord. Your mercy, Lord,” he muttered as he exited the cordoned-off area where the body of his wife, Sabitree Lyttle, a 56-year-old domestic, lay on the balcony of their Hollywood, Redemption Sharpes home.
It was shortly before 3 p.m., less than an hour after the man had received the news that his wife and mother of his three children — 19- and 17-year-old sons and a 15-year-old daughter — had been shot and killed.
Reports are that the woman was shot in the head.
Repeatedly, it appeared as if Lyttle was trying his best not to burst into tears — releasing the pain he was feeling inside.
Some onlookers repeatedly urged him to “cry it out”.
“I am messed up inside. I am messed up inside,” he told iWitness News sometime later and sighed heavily, as he again struggled to prevent himself from crying.
Lyttle, an employee of Coreas Distribution, was not at home when his wife was killed.
He told iWitness News that he had been told that there was a robbery at the house where they have been also operating a provisions shop for about 14 years.
“There was also forced entry into the shop. The door broke,” he said.
The widower said that his children were aware of what had happened to their mother.
“The big one is down there can’t hold up. I haven’t seen the second one yet,” he said, adding that he had asked one of their children’s aunts to pick up the youngest one at her school.
The killing brought, to a tragic end, the couple’s 20-year marriage.
It also brought to 31 the number of homicides in St. Vincent and the Grenadines for 2018.
About a third of those have occurred in Central Kingstown, according to Member of Parliament for that constituency, St. Clair Leacock, an opposition lawmaker, who was among persons outside the cordon.
“I know the people very, very well. They are my very strong friends, associates and supporters,” he told iWitness News, adding that Mr. Lyttle was deputy chair of one of his constituency groups for a long time.
“It is a very close-knit area, a very Christian area, much people being their brother’s keeper in this community,” he said.
Leacock described the family as “very quiet and private people”.
He said his understanding is that the family considered “protection” in the way the shop was built.
“At these times, you feel helpless, you can hardly speak. It is just saturated with these things. When will this all end?
“It’s just anybody,” he said.
Asked about his thoughts on the violence in sections of his constituency over the past few months, Leacock said:
“I have spoken enough on this. I think I have had about 10 in my constituency. Out of the first 10, I think I had five or six. So I am probably up to 10 out of the 30, 31 homicides. “Something really has to be done. There’s no quick fix, there is no easy solution, we have probably exhausted it, all sorts of remedies and solutions are being spoken about.
“But this is a society — clearly that has lost its way. You are not going to tell me the guy who was involved in the shooting today is some associated member of some group or some miscreant.
“They are simply people who have abandoned society and are all about self. And that’s where St. Vincent is heading, sadly. Self first,” Leacock said.
“Even if you rob a shop, the next step is necessary. It is like sometimes, even if you rape a woman, the next step is necessary? You kill them and so on and so forth. It is just that life has no value anymore. It is not a nice place to be,” he told iWitness News.
iWitness News understands that police have two suspects in custody in connection with the killing and are searching for a third man.
A wanted bulletin issued Wednesday afternoon says that police are searching for Jerroy “Jay-Jay” Phillips, 22, a fisherman, of Redemption Sharpes, in connection with the murder.
“The public is warned to exhibit caution, as Phillips is regarded as armed and dangerous,” the bulletin said.
Police said Phillip is 5 feet 4 inches, of slim build, fair in complexion. He has an oval face, brown eyes, thick lips, and a tattoo of a dove on his chest.
Persons with information about Phillips’ whereabouts are asked to contact the assistant commissioner of police in-charge Crimes at 1784-456-1339, Officer in charge of C.I.D at 1784-4571211 or 1784-4561810.
I am sitting here with tears flowing down my face, to think that such evil still permeates our country. I cannot understand the mentality of such evil doers. I am totally disgusted with myself, because i would support a very quick execution for the individual/s who committed this heinous crime. I would in my anger support extra judicial EXTERMINATION of people like this. I know such thoughts are inherently evil, but I cannot resist my knee jerk reaction to this. This is not about vengeance, or retribution, but in my eyes taking these individuals far out to sea in chains and dumping them in the sea would go some way to alleviating the slide into anarchy that we are experiencing. I fully accept that this solution is not the Christian thing to do, and more thoughtful members of our society will probably condemn me for thinking this is a solution, but at this time in my anger, if I had the power that is what I would do. May God forgive me for writing this, and give this family the grace to carry on. May her soul find eternal peace.
It’s no wonder these days after a certain hour has come and dust begins to fall, most mini buses are already off the road; and those that are, would be very reluctant to stop and sometimes do not stop at all if u signal for them to at the roadside. Once your face can not be properly seen by the drivers even with the aid of their bright headlights, you better start walking. This is all due to the fear of gun violence that’s circulating in our society today and is spreading like a wild fire in high wind throughout the length and breath of our country.
This issue involves everybody _ …. all of us! We can not just sit back and comfortably play the blame game pointing fingers at this and that individual or at this and that department/unit or at this or that political party. No! It’s all hands on deck because in the long run, we’re all going to be adversely affected somehow by this present situation _ whether directly or indirectly, so it’s a serious matter for concern for all of us. Hence, my first suggestion here is PRAYERS. Humbling and submitting ourselves before the feet of the Great Almighty God. Prayers indeed WILL change things! Praying with faith (confidence) is a very high recommendation for solution and resolution of basically anything.
Yes, it’s about time enough that we put our difference of political persuasions aside and come together as one people with a common goal and deal with what is haunting our society today.
Another day, another tragedy but I suppose we should be grateful that “Major” Leacock refrained from blaming unemployment on this murder.
This same man just got a suspended sentence for burglary, a big miscarriage of justice.
To blame “unemployment” when the chosen employment of such people is burglary and theft, combined with legal employment as fishermen, farmers, and labourers, is utter nonsense.
The main causes of such crimes are greed, envy, poor parenting, and low community solidarity (which prevents instillation of proper morality and the use of informal sanctions to reduce or punish anti-social behavior).
Unemployment my foot.
You sound like someone who has lived a privileged life for his entire life and cannot possibly understand poverty. You never ask yourself why most of these violent crimes are perpetrated by poor people without jobs. Please try to put yourself in the shoes of a poor person. Yes, the combination of those traits you mentioned are also strong probabilities for these crimes, but along with poverty and unemployment it is fertile ground for these crimes.
I am sorry there are people like you that believe poverty has nothing to do with crime. In this category you are a very bad influence on those reading this site. You are supposed to be educated but why do you deny all the facts what all mankind has known for thousands of years? Why do you insist on this misinformation? You also say that the NDP says ONLY poverty causes crime. They have never said that.
Please stop all your deception and misinformation.
Shame on you for being an upholder of criminal behaviour by implying that poor people are somehow compelled to engage in crime when the vast majority are peaceful and law abiding people.
I am truly sorry for you for denying that the NDP leader is on record for only talking about the economic causes of crime.
I have never, ever claimed that poverty and other indictors or economic adversity have nothing to do with crime.
Stop all your deception and misinformation.
You couldn’t resist that temptation Eh? I would have thought that expressing condolences along with a few words of encouragement would have been more appropriate. But not You; this had to be used as another opportunity to take a swipe at the NDP despite their being in opposition for almost 2 decades. Do better, you are a grown man. Act like it.
..and unfortunately, once more, I have to ask the question:
WHY IS THE PROCESS AND PROCEDURE FOR LAW-ABIDING CITIZENS, EVEN MORE SO BUSINESS AND PROFESSIONAL PEOPLE TO OBTAIN A LICENCED FIREARM SO DAMN TEDIOUS AND FRUSTRATING?
I know of Colleagues and similar liked individuals who have applied 6 years ago and have not even gotten their interview at this stage.
YET, the ease and amount of unlicensed firearms are growing.
COP, Minister of National Security et al, DO YOU NOT SEE AN ISSUE WITH THIS ENTIRE PROCESS?
Even when we check some of the persons who have licensed firearms, one begs the question, HOW???? We have known convicted persons with licensed firearms for example. We had a journalist shooting a man mere days after receipt of a his fire arm licence!!
Yet, those who are in need are applying and nothing. This woman was conducting her business from her home. Are we not even safe there?
This is very heart wrenching!!
The criminals have more illegal firearms than the masses who need it!
Are you really a Vincy? Seems not, if you don’t know that you you need someone to pull a string for you to get a license in short order.
In little SVG, it’s not what you know, its who you know.
Take note of this, as this is the law of God, given to us for the good regulating of our society:
Leviticus 24:17-18 New King James Version (NKJV)
17 ‘Whoever kills any man shall surely be put to death. 18 Whoever kills an animal shall make it good, animal for animal.
However, men thinks that they are more enlightened than God, so hence our calamitous and disastrous situation, where marauding evil murderers, are able to walk about freely to commit their dreadful crimes.
My condolences for your loss. Your family ripped apart out of pure greed and selfishness. RIP Mrs Lyttle.
And so what new laws government is planning to make in order to protect the people of ST.Vincent and the grenadines from these fatal crimes . Many folks in North America and England are scared to return home. That is very unconstitutional. Where is the protection of life and liberty? The court method of incarceration obviously not working. Why should be the people of St.Vincent and the grenadines be afraid to be in their own houses and even worst to go out and socialize . Why are these people walking the streets with illegal firearms. What methods the has to get the guns out of these people hands. Why don’t the govt and the court come together to find a solution ?